Thomas Fitzmaurice, 16th Baron Kerry
Encyclopedia
Thomas Fitzmaurice, sixteenth Lord Kerry and Baron Lixnaw (1502–1590) was an Irish Baron.
He was made heir to the ancestral estates in Clanmaurice, by the death of his elder brothers and their heirs, he owed his knowledge of that event to the fidelity of his old nurse, Joan Harman, who together with her daughter, made her way from Dingle
to Milan
, where he was serving in the imperial army.
On his return, he found his inheritance contested by a certain John FitzRichard, who however, surrendered it in 1552.
He was confirmed in his estate by Mary, and on 20 December 1589 executed a deed settling it on his son Patrick and heirs male, remainder to his own right heirs (Lodge, Peerage (Archdall), volume ii.)
He is said to have sat in the parliament of 1556, and in March 1567 he was knighted by Sir Henry Sidney
(Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 149).
His conduct during the rebellion of James FitzMaurice FitzGerald
(1569–73) was suspicious, but he appears to have regained the confidence of the government, being commended by Sidney on the occasion of his visit to Munster in 1576 (Ham. Cal. ii. 90).
Like most of the would-be independent chiefs in that province, he complained bitterly of the aggressions of Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond
.
Charged by Sir William Pelham
with conniving at that earl's rebellion, he grounded his denial on the ancient and perpetual feud that had existed between his house and the head of the Geraldines (Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 296, 303).
His sons Patrick and Edmund, who had openly joined the rebels, were surprised and incarcerated in Limerick Castle.
On 3 September 1581, he and the Earl of Clancare
presented themselves before the deputy at Dublin:
Two months previously (23 July), he had given pledges of his loyalty to Captain Zouche, but in May 1582 we read that after killing Captain Acham and some soldiers he went into rebellion, whereupon his pledges were hanged by Zouche (Ham. Cal. ii. 365, 369, 376).
His position indeed was intolerable, what with the "oppressions" of the rebels and the "heavy cesses" of the government.
The Earl of Ormonde mediated for him, and in May 1583 he was pardoned (ibid. pages 430, 431, 439, 468).
He sat in the parliament of 1585–6, but he seems to have been regarded with suspicion till his death on 16 December 1590 (ibid. iv. 346, 383).
He was buried in the tomb of Bishop Philip Stack, in the cathedral of Ardfert
, Zouche refusing to allow his burial in the tomb of his ancestors in the abbey, which then served as a military station.
, Robert, slain in the isles of Arran, and one daughter; secondly, Catherine, only daughter and heir of Teige MacCarthy Môr (o. s. page); thirdly, Penelope, daughter of Sir Donald O'Brien, brother of Conor, third earl of Thomond
.
Life
He was the youngest son of Edmond Fitzmaurice, 10th Baron Kerry, and Una, daughter of Teige MacMahon.He was made heir to the ancestral estates in Clanmaurice, by the death of his elder brothers and their heirs, he owed his knowledge of that event to the fidelity of his old nurse, Joan Harman, who together with her daughter, made her way from Dingle
Dingle
Dingle is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about 49 kilometres southwest of Tralee and 71 kilometres northwest of Killarney....
to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, where he was serving in the imperial army.
On his return, he found his inheritance contested by a certain John FitzRichard, who however, surrendered it in 1552.
He was confirmed in his estate by Mary, and on 20 December 1589 executed a deed settling it on his son Patrick and heirs male, remainder to his own right heirs (Lodge, Peerage (Archdall), volume ii.)
He is said to have sat in the parliament of 1556, and in March 1567 he was knighted by Sir Henry Sidney
Henry Sidney
Sir Henry Sidney , Lord Deputy of Ireland was the eldest son of Sir William Sidney of Penshurst, a prominent politician and courtier during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, from both of whom he received extensive grants of land, including the manor of Penshurst in Kent, which became the...
(Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 149).
His conduct during the rebellion of James FitzMaurice FitzGerald
James FitzMaurice FitzGerald
James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald was a member of the 16th century ruling Geraldine dynasty in the province of Munster in Ireland. He rebelled against the crown authority of Queen Elizabeth I of England in response to the onset of the Tudor conquest of Ireland and was deemed an archtraitor...
(1569–73) was suspicious, but he appears to have regained the confidence of the government, being commended by Sidney on the occasion of his visit to Munster in 1576 (Ham. Cal. ii. 90).
Like most of the would-be independent chiefs in that province, he complained bitterly of the aggressions of Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond
Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond
Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond was an Irish nobleman and leader of the Desmond Rebellions of 1579.-Life:...
.
Charged by Sir William Pelham
William Pelham (lord justice)
Sir William Pelham was an English soldier and lord justice of Ireland.-Life:He was third son of Sir William Pelham of Laughton, Sussex, by his second wife, Mary, daughter of William Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys of the Vyne near Basingstoke in Hampshire...
with conniving at that earl's rebellion, he grounded his denial on the ancient and perpetual feud that had existed between his house and the head of the Geraldines (Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 296, 303).
His sons Patrick and Edmund, who had openly joined the rebels, were surprised and incarcerated in Limerick Castle.
On 3 September 1581, he and the Earl of Clancare
Donald McCarthy, 1st Earl of Clancare
Donald McCarthy Mór, 1st Earl of Clancare was the son of Donald MacCormac Ladrach MacCarthy Mor. He married Lady Honora FitzGerald, daughter of James FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond and Móre O'Carroll. Donald MacCarthy was created a Knight on 26 June 1558 in Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland...
presented themselves before the deputy at Dublin:
Two months previously (23 July), he had given pledges of his loyalty to Captain Zouche, but in May 1582 we read that after killing Captain Acham and some soldiers he went into rebellion, whereupon his pledges were hanged by Zouche (Ham. Cal. ii. 365, 369, 376).
His position indeed was intolerable, what with the "oppressions" of the rebels and the "heavy cesses" of the government.
The Earl of Ormonde mediated for him, and in May 1583 he was pardoned (ibid. pages 430, 431, 439, 468).
He sat in the parliament of 1585–6, but he seems to have been regarded with suspicion till his death on 16 December 1590 (ibid. iv. 346, 383).
He was buried in the tomb of Bishop Philip Stack, in the cathedral of Ardfert
Ardfert
Ardfert is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Historically a religious centre, the economy of the locality is driven by agriculture and its position as a dormitory town, being only 8 km from Tralee.-Origin:...
, Zouche refusing to allow his burial in the tomb of his ancestors in the abbey, which then served as a military station.
Family
He married, first Margaret, "the fair", second daughter of James FitzJohn, 14th Earl of Desmond (died 1563), by whom he had Patrick, his heir, Edmund, killed at KinsaleKinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
, Robert, slain in the isles of Arran, and one daughter; secondly, Catherine, only daughter and heir of Teige MacCarthy Môr (o. s. page); thirdly, Penelope, daughter of Sir Donald O'Brien, brother of Conor, third earl of Thomond
Earl of Thomond
"Earl of Thomond" was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created twice for the family of Ó Briain. The O'Brien dynasty were an ancient Irish sept native to north Munster....
.